Portable cooler



Dec. 15, 1964 c. e. FLANNERY 3,161,031

PORTABLE COOLER Filed Sept. 23, 1963 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,161,661 PQRTABLE @GGLER (Hyde G. Flnnncry, 7107 N, Tampania Ave, Tampa, Fla. Filed Sept. 23, 1953, Ser. No. 31425762 4 Qlairns. (til. ELL-457) This invention relates to refrigerating devices and the like for beverages.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a portable cooler which will contain propaline glycol, which when placed in the freezer section of a refrigerator until the coolant is frozen, will be removed so as to place a can of beer or other beverage within it, thus allowing the beer to remain cool for an extended period of time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable cooler which will receive several cans of beer or other beverage, one after the other, before the coolant contained within the vessel thaws, after which the portable cooler will be placed into the freezer section of a refrigerator, or in the deep freeze refrigerator, until the coolant, propaline glycol, is frozen again.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable cooler which may be used in bars, homes, and at picnics and placed on ice in a portable icebox along with the cans of beer and other beverages.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a portable cooler which will have an aluminum casing for containing the coolant and will have cork insulation adjacent to the exterior of the casing, and will have Woven plastic covering on the exterior of the cork, pro viding a novel and decorative appearance, as well as protecting the cork from deterioration.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a portable cooler bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and eflicient in operation and use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical view of the present invention shown in section and in elevation; and

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of FIG- URE 1.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, .a portable cooler 1% made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a hollow aluminum container 12 which provides storage means for a liquid coolant 14, such as prop-aline glycol. A space 16 in the pearance to cooler 16 as Well as making it easy to clean and protecting the cork 18 from wear.

An opening 22 in the upper extremity of cooler 10 provides a meansfor receiving a can of beverage which it is desired to be kept cold.

ice

In operation, portable cooler 19 is placed into the freezer or the freezer section of a refrigerator for sufficient time to freeze the coolant 14 within the aluminum container 12, after which it is removed and a can of beverage may be placed into the opening 22, and the coolant 14 will keep the beverage continuously cold while it is being consumed.

it shall be noted that various types of handles may be applied to portable cooler ill) for use as handle grip means for lifting it when necessary.

It shall further be noted that the heretofore mentioned device may he used to various things as well as beverages.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understoood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A portable cooler comprising, in combination, a hollow aluminum container providing a means for retaining a coolant such as propaline glycol, a cork insulation carried by said container providing insulation means for said container, a woven plastic cover carried by said container providing decorative appearance to said container of said cooler and helping to keep said container sanitary, said coolant being carried within said aluminum container winch is of hollow configuration and sealed having an air space within said aluminum container providing a means for said coolant to expand within said container, thus preventing overstressing said container, said container being provided with a cylindrical opening having a vertical side wall for receiving a can of beverage to be cooled by said coolant after said coolant has been frozen in a refrigerator freezer and the inner edge of the upper rim of said aluminum container being harmoniously curved ninety degrees between the upper edge and the wall of said opening.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said portable cooler provides extended cooling for beverage cans placed within said cooler, or other articles when introduced into said cooler, and said cork is received over the outer periphery of said aluminum container and thus provides insulation to said container.

3. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said woven plastic cover is received around the outer periphery of said cork, thus protecting said cork from injury and providing means for easy cleaning of said cooler.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein cooling of said can of beverage comprises the walls of said can of beverage absorbin the cold radiated from the inner walls of said aluminum container containing said coolant after it has been frozen or cooled.

References tilted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,771,186 Mock July 22, 1930 2,039,736 Munters et al May 5, 1936 2,779,495 Davis Jan. 29, 1957 2,897,657 Rupp Aug. 4, 1959 2,959,938 Giardini Nov. 15, 1960 

1. A PORTABLE COOLER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A HOLLOW ALUMINUM CONTAINER PROVIDING A MEANS FOR RETAINING A COOLANT SUCH AS PROPALINE GLYCOL, A CORK INSULATION CARRIED BY SAID CONTAINER PROVIDING INSULATION MEANS FOR SAID CONTAINER, A WOVEN PLASTIC COVER CARRIED BY SAID CONTAINER PROVIDING DECORATIVE APPEARANCE TO SAID CONTAINER OF SAID COOLER AND HELPING TO KEEP SAID CONTAINER SANITARY, SAID COOLANT BEING CARRIED WITHIN SAID ALUMINUM CONTAINER WHICH IS OF HOLLOW CONFIGURATION AND SEALED HAVING AN AIR SPACE WITHIN SAID ALUMINUM CONTAINER PROVIDING A MEANS FOR SAID COOLANT TO EXPAND WITHIN SAID CONTAINER, THUS PREVENTING OVERSTRESSING SAID CONTAINER, SAID CONTAINER BEING PROVIDED WITH A CYLINDRICAL OPENING HAVING A VERTICAL SIDE WALL FOR RECEIVING A CAN OF BEVERAGE TO BE COOLED BY SAID COOLANTG HAS BEEN FROZEN IN A REFRIGERATOR FREEZER AND THE INNER EDGE OF THE UPPER RIM OF SAID ALUMINUM CONTAINER BEING HARMONIOUSLY CURVED NINETY DEGREES BETWEEN THE UPPER EDGE AND THE WALL OF SAID OPENING. 